A number of notable heavyweights will be calling Brazilian camp
Libertas
Esportes de Combate home in the coming months.
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According to head coach Andre Benkei, heavyweights Amir
Aliakbari, Tony Johnson
Jr., Anderson “Braddock” Silva and Guto
Inocente will all be training together under the same roof in
Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in the coming months. Benkei is a
former coach at American Top Team.
“I’ve always dreamed to join a great team of fighters with the best
team of coaches who can produce the best quality fighters to [send
to] all MMA shows all over the world,” Benkei told Sherdog.com.
“Thanks to the support of the mayor of Mariana and local companies
like [Brazilian mining organization Samarco] I was able to make it
happen.
Benkei plans on bringing a number of high-level coaches and
trainers to sharpen the heavyweights’ skills.
“To take care of their wrestling, we will have [Iran national team
member] Poya
Baghbani; for boxing, [Cuban national team member] Lorenzo
Aragon; Mauricio da
Silva will be the striking coach and Leonardo
Genuino will be the grappling coach,” said Benkei, who will
oversee strength and conditioning along with serving as the head
trainer.
Benkei said that trainers and fighters will begin to arrive at the
camp by next week.
“We will have Guto, Amir, Braddock and Tony by [Jan. 18] here.
Alexander
Volkov will probably join the group later, too,” he said.
“One thing I can guarantee, I haven’t seen so many top heavyweights
in the same camp since Antonio
Silva prepared to face [Fedor
Emelianenko in Strikeforce]. My personal goal is getting
champions recognized in all the biggest shows in the world: One
Championship, UFC, Bellator, PFL, KSW and Rizin.”